If you've ever seen the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C., did you notice his hands? One hand is…read moreclenched in a fist, while the other is open and outstretched, resting leisurely on the arm of his chair. As a kid, I remember hearing that it showed Lincoln's tough and compassionate sides. This spectacular monument honors two subjects. The first is one of our country's most iconic figures, and the second was to the New Milford soldiers that served in the Civil War. The monument was dedicated in 1912 and was the gift of Captain Edward Marsh of the Second Connecticut Volunteers Heavy Artillery. The memorial consists of a four sided base decorated with two plaques and two sculpted panels. The base is topped with a bust of the President's head and shoulders. One of the featured plaques reads "In Loving Memory of the Soldiers and Sailors of the Union Army and Navy 1861 1865, and of Abraham Lincoln President of the United States. Besides being in many skirmishes the New Milford troops were engaged in the battles of Gettysburg, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Opeqvan. Fisher's Hill, Cedar Creek, Sailors Creek". You'll also see two sculpted panels of a soldiers raising a flag and blowing a bugle, and a large oval plaque inscribed with the Gettysburg Address. That eloquent speech ends with this phrase "we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain--that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom--and that government: of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

This is a very inconveniently positioned marker. At first I thought it must be on the New Milford…read moreGreen, which isn't great for parking but usually you can find a spot within a reasonable walking distance. Ah, no! This sign is off the Green, in front of what I believe may be the historical society, uphill, resting on a grassy knoll. There is side street parking, if you can grab a spot. (Full disclosure - as a traumatized driving student who learned to drive on stick, I still don't care for parking on hills so I have a bias) But alas, the spots were all full. It looks like there may be a road or parking lot in the back, but after driving around twice I'm no closer to finding it. I settled for admiring the sign from the road before driving away for approaching cars. For anyone who knows the area and wants to know why I didn't park on the Green - between the Green and the sign is the intersection from Hades. Usually the turn taking at a four way intersection is an automatic cultural thing, but people kept on driving like there were no other cars but theirs. A thought for New Milford city planning - THERE is a spot for a rotary, the drivers coming from 202 are already treating it like one.

Want some New Milford history nuggets? Sure you do!…read more In 1703 some businessmen from Milford, CT bought this land from the Potatuck Indians, and cleverly named the land "New Milford". The first white inhabitant of the area was a gent named Zachariah Ferriss. I wonder if he was a big wheel? After the shootings at Lexington and Concord, a very impressive total of 285 men of New Milford enlisted in the Continental Army. A bridge over the nearby Housatonic River was built way back in 1737 This is a 2-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission in the familiar white lettering on a blue background. It's located on the sloping lawn of the New Milford Historical Society. The marker was dedicated in 1976. The front side is showing quite a bit of fading and streaking on the white lettering. The reverse side is in pretty good condition.

When I was a senior in high school I wrote a research paper on the Underground Railroad, I was…read morepretty happy with the way it came out (I got an A or an A+). I remember that the paper was pretty popular among my friends, because a few years later it ended up being copied and made appearances at colleges in Texas and Florida. I hadn't really thought much about the Underground Railroad in a long time. But I came face-to-face with this incredible chapter of American history when I stumbled upon this monument on the grounds of the New Milford Historical Society. Litchfield County CT was a hotbed of abolitionist activity - both Harriet Beecher Stowe and John Brown lived here. There were railroad "stations" throughout the area, including New Milford, on the secretive route to Canada. This somber monument to the Underground Railroad was dedicated on November 17, 2013. That date was chosen because it represented the 150th anniversary of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. It is an 18-inch high and 20-inch wide marker carved of granite with a broken chain over the marker. The marker is directly in front of a large monument honoring President Lincoln and New Milford's Civil War veterans. The broken chain sculpture was created by local artist Ray Crawford, and he entitled it "A Rough Road to Freedom". The marker contains a plaque whose inscription reads: History of the Underground Railroad This plaque is dedicated to the memory of slaves. In the middle of the 1800's, the Underground Railroad was organized with a true commitment to freedom. New Milford, Connecticut was a road to freedom used to escape into Canada. In 1865 the Civil War ends, and also the Underground Railroad. The 13th Amendment was added to the United States Constitution abolishing slavery permanently. The plaque ends with line from the chorus of an old spiritual (circa 1865) "Slavery Chain Done Broke At Last"

Eminem may have sung about 8 Mile, but the Town of Sherman sits on land originally known as "Upper…read moreSeven Miles". The town was named after Roger Sherman. He was quite an under-achiever in life. All he did was sign and help draft the Articles of Association, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution. No one else can claim that on his resume. This is a one-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission in the familiar white lettering on a blue background. It's located a few dozen feet away from the road near the intersection of Route 39 and Gaylordsville Road, across the street from the Sherman School. The marker was dedicated in 1981 and is in very good condition. The full inscription reads: Originally part of New Fairfield, which was purchased from the Indians in 1729, the area then known as the Upper Seven Miles was separately incorporated as the Town of Sherman in 1802. The town was named for Roger Sherman who, as a young man, had a cobbler shop at the north end. He was to become the only statesman to help draft and sign all of the following documents: the Articles of Association, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the United States Constitution. A native of Sherman was Philo Penfield Stewart, missionary to the Choctaw Indians, inventor of the Stewart stove, and in 1833 a founder of Oberlin College in Ohio. The Character of the town as a farming community devoted to dairying, grazing, and tobacco-growing changed after 1926 when, for hydroelectric power, eight hundred acres of Sherman land were flooded in the creation of Lake Candlewood. Erected 1981 by Town of Sherman, Sherman Historical Society, Connecticut Historical Commission.

The staff are always very helpful and the collection is good. If there is a book you need, they…read morecan readily obtain it from another library for you. They also communicate through apps with notifications which is very helpful. You can use Hoopla with your membership which is a very valuable source of free audio books.

Check ahead - at least in September 2022 the library is closed for renovation and modernization. At…read morethis time the staff is still here and they're offering curbside service only. On the plus side, their wifi reaches to the curb and I was able to use their network from the van for a short while before heading onwards. [Review 18398 overall - 64 in Connecticut - 1920 of 2022.]

I love Squantz Pond State Park They do an excellent job,…read moremaintaining the grounds around the beach, the trails for walking and the huge picnic area. The water is fenced off from the picnic area for safety. There are also docks for fishing and it is a really beautiful natural scene. There's a place for canoeing kayaking, and the beach is available for the public. Had a small charge for parking . But relatively free compared to other beaches within driving distance.

Very scenic place on the shores of Squantz Pond, which empties into Candlewood Lake. In normal…read moretimes there is a beach and a couple of comfort stations, although the beaches are closed at this time. I'm not sure if the restrooms are still open. There are several barbecue pits around and trees to gather under so you could really have a nice picnic here, even if you didn't go to the sandy beach area. It's peaceful except for the jetskis that drone endlessly in circles close to shore. They are really loud so don't expect to enjoy peace and quiet in nature. But if you're there when they aren't around, you'll have a very nice time.

Located in front of the Bridgewater Historical Society, the Historical Marker is easily accessible…read morewith parking available behind the building. The parking entrance is closer to the library. There is also a nearby sign for a Blue Star Memorial put up by the Roxbury-Bridgewater Garden Club. The actual historical marker reads: In 1722 Samuel Clark, an original proprietor of New Milford, had a portion of his share of land surveyed in the southerly part of that town known as Shepaug Neck. Although this later became known as Bridgewater, it was not incorporated as a separate town until 1856. Among the earliest settlers was Joseph Treat, grandson of Robert Treat, a colonial governor of Connecticut. Others included the four sons of Jeremiah Canfield, Sr. Descendents of these families played a prominent roll in the early history of the area. The first school district was established in 1758. By the latter part of the 18th century petitions were made to New Milford for a separate ecclesiastical society, a request granted in 1803. A meeting house, the present Congregational church, was erected in 1807. Most early settlers were Congregationalists, but other faiths were represented as well. Until about 1800 a Baptist church stood on what is now called Christian Street. Episcopal worship began in private homes around 1810, and a church was built in 1836. Present St. Mark's church was erected in 1859. Early Bridgewater was divided into several districts, each having its own store, school, mills, blacksmith and woodworking shops. Sheep were raised and tobacco grown. Dairy farming developed in the 19th century. Hat making flourished 1823 to 1870, when Glover Sanford & Sons had a factory on Hat Shop Hill. For some years Bridgewater was the boyhood home of Captain William B Burnham, founder of the American Hawaiian Steamship Company. His generous bequests made possible the library and school on Main Street that bear his name. The town was also the birthplace and place of business of Charles B. Thompson, a leading pioneer in mail-order selling. Bridgewater today is largely residential.

ORIGIN: Over one hundred acres that surround the two…read moretowering silos had supported two families' dairy farms for nearly three centuries. In 1968 popular musician Skitch Henderson and his wife Ruth purchased the property as a personal retreat. The couple hosted musical performances, art exhibitions, and cooking demonstrations led by prominent chefs. In later years nonprofit and national historic landmark status was established for the property. ATMOSPHERE: Events take place in a repurposed post and beam barn. The beams are exposed, giving a rustic charm. EXPERIENCE: Alessandro Piovezahn, the current steward of the nonprofit property, is actively looking to revive the Silo's influential public events. I enjoyed an intimate concert that featured the work of a five-time Emmy-award winning composer Jeff Beal. A legendary Steinway piano brought his music to life. A reception in the barn preceded the concert, with food prepared by Chef Constantine (Dino) Kolitsas of New Milford's Greca Mediterranean Kitchen & Bar I also enjoyed an evening cooking class with Chef Carlos Perez of Litchfield's At the Corner restaurant. In the course of the three hour class we were guided on culinary techniques by Chef Carlos Perez and his former colleague Chef Billy Ross (now at New Milford's Greca). I greatly enjoyed learning how to make a thoughtful fall menu that includes popular dishes served At the Corner, and dining on the co-prepared dishes with fellow foodie community members. Given limited of 16 registrants, everyone was active. I already registered for another class with Chef Billy Ross. SELECTION: Classes representing a variety of cuisines and dish types are available, including gingerbread house-making, pasta, and risotto. TIPS: Check the farm's Facebook and Instagram accounts for event schedule. The class + dinner and cocktail was $125 per person. The Silo will host a winter farmers' market this year.

I am guaranteed to never step foot in the silo or any other establishment owned by the people who…read morerun the cooking school and will tell my local New Milford friends to avoid their establishments like the plague. . I had signed up for a Saturday morning cooking class 7/3 as a gift to my wife, but had an emergency that prohibited us from attending class. My wife called the school that morning and was told it would be no problem as we could select another class over the summer. I took them at their word, but after leaving FOUR voicemail messages spanning three weeks, no one bothered to return my call. I stopped by the school and left a message with a gentleman teaching a cooking class to please return my calls, but again I was never called back. Having exhausted attempts to reach the school to schedule another class, I decided to contest the $300 charge with my credit card co for the class I could not attend. Here it is 9/29 and the proprietor has not yet reached out to me, but has decided to keep my money stating the terms and conditions. I find this business lacks ethics for a small town like New Milford. Buyers beware! Please note the 9/17 call/message was not returned.